Revolutionary in 2001, legendary classic in 2010
THE GOOD:
+Gameplay, Bullet time and Shootdodging. Some of the best and most original features of MP are the Bullet time and Shootdodging. They don't just look incredibly cool, but are also really fun to use and are essential for killing some of the tougher badguys. These features steal the show, but the basic gameplay is just stellar too. On keyboard, and on the PS2 pad.
+Story and script. The story is a major part of the game. It's deep, dark and well-written. It's not a typical "This one's personal"-revenge-story with a happy ending. The dialog is also very good, not to mention the voice acting. (Did you know: The writer of the game, Sam Lake is the person whose face is used as Max Payne's face. Most of the other models are Remedy staff too.)
+Max. Payne is not a typical hero who saves the world and then everyone's happy. Max is a man with nothing to lose, and his life is pure hell. That's one of the best things in the game.
+Graphics. For it's time, this game (PC version) was the definition of good graphics. The photo-realistic textures and particle effects along with very realistic character models made it so impressive. The PS2 version obviously doesn't look as good as PC version, but good for PS2.
+New York. The first part (American Dream) is full of dark streets, violent subways, dirty bars and stinky hotels, which makes shooting badguys even more satisfying.
THE NOT-SO GOOD:
-Some of the levels, such as the Valkyr lab, and the foundry full of lasers are not nearly as interesting as the first part, but they're all fun to play.
-PS2 loading. The biggest problem of the mostly otherwise great PS2 version is the loading times. When you die, you'll have to load for a pretty long time, and worst of all, watch the cutscenes again. It gets really frustrating at some of the hardest chapters.
In conclusion, Max Payne is just an incredibly awesome action experience, and if you haven't played it and you're a fan of shooting games, YOU NEED TO PLAY MAX PAYNE.
However, i think the sequel raised the bar even higher... But that's another thing.